Fisherfolk Face Price Drop at Taal Lake
Taal Lake tawilis prices have sharply declined, stirring concern among local fishers. The retail price of tawilis, a fresh water sardine native to the area, has dropped from the usual P250 to just P100 per kilogram. This steep fall coincides with the ongoing search for missing sabungeros, cockfighting enthusiasts reportedly linked to the lake.
A national fisherfolk group highlighted this alarming trend, noting that several towns in Cavite are experiencing tawilis sales at all-time lows. Such a significant price drop threatens the livelihoods of those who depend on fishing in the Taal region.
Public Fear Affects Tawilis Market
Local fishers around Taal Lake have expressed worries over public hesitation to buy fish due to rumors about the missing sabungeros. Despite reassurances from government agencies declaring the lake’s fish safe for consumption, fear continues to drive prices down.
Pamalakaya national chair Fernando Hicap said, “We received reports that there are a lot of tawilis priced at P100 per kilo in several towns in Cavite. If the price of tawilis in the market is that low, the farm-gate price will surely fall even more for Taal fishermen, causing them to suffer losses.”
Hicap urged the Department of Agriculture and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to step in and support the affected fisherfolk. He suggested purchasing fish directly from local fishermen and encouraging the public to maintain trust in Taal Lake’s bounty.
Fisherfolk Struggle Amid Natural Challenges
The fisher community has faced numerous hardships lately. Aside from the recent price drop, they are still recovering from the effects of the southwest monsoon, locally known as ‘habagat,’ which limited fishing activities for months. “The fishers will not be able to endure this kind of losses because they have already been suffering from the effects of ‘habagat’ in the past months, in which they rarely were able to go out and fish,” Hicap added.
Ongoing Search for Missing Sabungeros
Meanwhile, Philippine Coast Guard technical divers continue retrieval operations in Taal Lake. Their goal is to find the bodies of missing sabungeros who disappeared between April 2021 and January 2022. One suspect has claimed that these individuals were killed and their bodies dumped in the lake, intensifying public concern.
Despite this, authorities maintain that the fish remain safe to eat, urging consumers not to let fear affect the local economy.
For more news and updates on Taal Lake tawilis prices, visit Filipinokami.com.
